Automobile buffer device



June 16, 192s 1,542,623

. `G. A. LYON AUTOMOBILE BUFFER DEVICE Original Filed May 31, 1923 Y mfr 1 '-Hx'- feller esame;

a l F i /9 J3 55 J3 i? 53 H 5 72mm 35 F. gm @y ya? feg@ 3Q@ 55%@ 65%@ J6 3 WE?? ff 6g Patented June 16, 1925.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE ALBERT LYON, 0F ALLENHURS'L NEW JERSEY.

AUTOMOBILE BUFFER DEVICE.

Application led May 31, 1923, Serial No. $42,450. Renewed November 20, 1924. y

To all whom z't may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE ALBERTLYON, a citizen of the United States, and resident of Allenhurst, in the county of Monmouth and State of New Jersey, have made a certain new and useful Invention Relating to Automobile Buffer Devices, of which the following is a specification, taken in connection lwith the accompanying drawing, which forms part of the same.

This invention relates to automobile buffers or bumpers in which one or more of the buffer front members or strips whichmay be adjustably connected in some cases, may advantageously be formed with diagonally folded ends which may either be disconnected from the adjacent end portions of the front strips or, if desired, may be detachably or permanently connected thereto. This may be conveniently accomplished by forming the buffer front members or strip ends with integral angularly o1 diagonally folded portions preferably extendingrearwardly and forming transversely extending connecting portions which project vertically' or transversely sufiiciently to be bolted or clamped to a similar folded connector portion of another strip, for instance, which may be arranged in overlapping osition in connection therewith. Either o these arrangements gives a neat and desirable finish to the strip ends which ma in some cases be formed with two angular y or diagonally folded corners so as to form a diagonally pointed strip end which is especially desirable for buffer fronts of single height `or single strip type, thus generally approximating the appearanceof a double strip buffer front in which both the strip ends are formed with the angularly folded portions in which the projecting ends are ad-` jacent. While of course itis usually desirable to have the buffer front ystripsin substantial vertical or transverse alignment with eachother at least in the central portions as well as in the other parts of the buffer front, yet in some cases these folded transverse connector portions may be so arranged that the adjacent portions of the strip member arearranged at an angle of .ten to twenty degrees more or less from the vertical line joining them. The Wide thin spring steel or otherstrips may also in some cases be either convexly or concavely curved 1n cross section or oppositely 1n- .highly heated or by suitable die bending operations after which the strips may be hardened and tempered, preferably by being oil quenched while still highly heated after the bending operations. In many cases it is desirable to polish and nickel plate the front face of the buffer front strips which may also advantageously in many cases have this prominent polished nickle plated surface extend around at least the rounded edge of the diagonally folded end portions which may thus be made more prominent than the other or rear surfaces of the buffer strips which may be enameled or otherwise finished in a less 4 prominent manner, if desired. In the accompanying drawing showing 1n a somewhat diagrammatic way various illustrative embodiments of this invention:

Fig. 1 is a front view of an illustrative buffer. y

Fig. 2 is a top View thereof.

Fig. 3 is an enlar ed transverse section taken substantially a ong the line 3-3 of Filg. 2.

ig. 4 is a front view of another illustrative buffer.

Fig. 4 is ya similar enlarged transverse section taken substantially along the line 4* of Fig. 4.

Fig. 5 is a front tive butler.

Figs. 5* to 5 are similar enlarged sections of the upper strip taken along the line 5' of Fig. 5, and

vFigs. .6 to 6 are corresponding bottom views of the strip.

Fig. 6 isa top view of another illustrative buffer.

Fig. 7 is a partial front view thereof, and

Fig. 8 is a front View of another illustrative buffer front strip.

In the illustrative buffer shown in Figs. 1 to 3, the buifer front may be formed of two elements of relatively wide thin sprin steel strip which are adjustably connected so asv to make the buffer front laterall adjustable to fit autOmObiles having di erent width frames. Each of these front elements may comprise two connected front members or strips such as 1, 3 which may be arranged in vertically separated position so as to be in substantial vertical alignment, if desired, with their adjacent edges one to three inches or more apart. rl`he other cooperating front element may comprise the vertically separated connected front strips or members 2, 4 which may be similarly arranged and connected and may have transversely extending strip ends 6, 6 overlapping other front strips which may have their ends arranged somewhat beyond the two connecting or clamping devices 11 of the type shown in greater detail in Fig. 3. Each clamping device may have suitable recesses to accommodate the front strips and may have a threaded hole 15 into.

' 19 behind the front strips and more or less overlapping them, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3. |The butter supporting member or device may be, it desired, of the brace bar type and may comprise a steel strip having the rear supporting or brace bar portion 21 and the curved resilient portions 20, 120 and 22, 123 on its opposite ends beyond the trame ends 24 to which it may be clamped or connected. lThe inturned connecting ends 19, 23 of this supporting member may thus resiliently support the butter front strips considerably ahead of the frame ends, if desired.

These buffer -front strips or'members may advantageously he connected by integral angularly folded connector portions such as 10, 50 which may be arranged behind the front strips and may extend transversely beyond them to a sufficient extent to overlap each other, so as to be securely clamped or connected in any suitable way as by one or more connecting bolts 51 passing through them and having securing nuts such as 2. In this way each of the front elements may be formed of two securely connected strips or members which may be separately formed with these diagonally folded connector portions and then permanently or detachably connected as above described. '.ll`his` as seen in Fig. 1, forms two angularly or diagonally arranged folded edges 7, 9 at each end of the buf'er front, while the central end portion such as 8 is substantially transverse or slightly rounded where a rather rounded or gradual edge bend is formed in these front strips or member which, it' desired, may also be rearwardly inclined or bent backward somewhat at 18 as shown in Fig. 2.

Fig. i shows another arrangement in which the butter front may comprise a front member or strip 25 extending substantially across the butter front and having angularly or diagonally folded end connector portions detachably or permanently connected so as to connect to this upper front strip the one or more lower front strips such as 26, 28 which may have overlapping end portions 2?', 29, it desired. Suitable connecting devices such as 30 may connect these vertically separated front strips or members and securely hold them in vertically aligned position, if desired, while simultaneously connecting them to the connecting portions such as 19 of any suitable butter supporting member or device. As shown in Fig. 4, the upper front strip 25 may be formed with an integral angularly folded connector portion which may extend transversely on the rear ot' the front strip so as to project down beyond its lower edge and cooperate with a corresponding upwardly extending integral folded connector portion 36 on the end of the adjacent front member 26. These two overlapping connector portionsmay be permanently or detachably connected in any suitable way as by forming a spot weld 40 therein which securely and permanently7 connects them so as to forni in this case a securely connected buffer front of vspring steel strip which may, if desired, be hardcned and tempered after it has been bent or formed into the desired shape as by bending over suitable dies.

Fig. 5 shows another illustrative form in which the bunter front members or strips may be se arated'or disconnected at their ends 39. hese front strips or members may, it' desired, be substantially parallel at their outer portions such as 37, 38 beyond the connecting devices 30 while their inner or central portions 31, 82 may, if desired. be oppositely bent or curved, as indicated in Fig. 5, so as to form a widened central contact face where this is desired. Each end of these two buffer front strips may, as indicated, be formed -with a diagonally folded portion such as 53, 54 which may be bent backward and have its edge 49 forced near or into contact with the rear face of the corresponding strip end, as shown in Figs. 5 and G, so as to give a Finished appearance to the strip end which may be formed with more or less rounded diagonally folded edges 7, 9 as indicated in Fig. 5. When seen from the front this gives the buder end a desirable and pleasing appearance, especially it the front faces of these front strips are polished and highly finished or nickel plated, together with the somewhat rounded diagonally folded edges 7, 9. Figs. 5b and 6b show another illustrative form of diagonally folded strip end 8() where the butter front strip 33 may have a somewhat more sharply curved diagonal bent edge 81, the

Mtl

ed corner or end 85 of the strip then being bent back along another gradual curve so as to be at its tip nearly parallel to the adjacent portion 33 of this buffer front strip.

Figs, 5 and 6e show still another Idesirable illustrative arrangement in which the strip end is also gradually bent or folded along the diagonal or angular line at 87, 88, while the slightly lrounded strip end or tip 89 is forced or .bent inward to a considerable extent by suitable bending'machines which can effectively at a single separation force the strip end into this position.y Figs. v6 and 7 show another illustrative buffer in which the front strips 59, may be substantially parallel with their adjacent edges two to four inches or so apart, if desired, and this buffer front, as in the case of the other types also, may, if desired, be forwardly bent or arched as shown in Fig. 6, although this is not of course necessar in all cases. Each of these front strips or members may be formedv with angularly or diagonally bent end connector portions such as 68, 69 shown in Fig. 7 which may be held securely in overlappin position as,by the connecting bolt' 67 an 1f desired, the strip ends 61, 62adjacent these connector portions may be bent backwar'd somewhat as 'shown in Fig. 6 .which is desirable where this portion of the front strips and their front faces are nickle plated or polished. The buffer supporting member may in this case be a single strip having a rear supporting or brace bar portion 66 to which the forwardly and outwardly curved portions are integrally connected so as to securely support the connecting ends 63, 64 of this supporting member. These connecting ends may overlap the connector portions of'the front stri s and be bolted or connected thereto ylas y the connecting bolts 67 shown in Fi 6 and 7. In some cases one or more o the buffer front stri s may be formed at one or both ends wit twov an ularly or diagonally folded rtions as s own in Fig: 8 where a relativel wide front strip 70 of thin springsteel1 or other material may haveits twov corners 71, 72 shown in dotted lines in their original position folded backward into the positions 73, .74 behind the strip end so as to form the angular or diagonally end of the connected stri folded edges 77, 79 which gives a good finish to the front stri or otherv part of the buffer, especially w ere the front face .of this strip and the more or less rounded folded edges are polished andnickle plated, for instance.

This inventionihas been described in connection with a. number of embodiments, forms, proportions, sizes, parts, arrangements, materials, methods of constructions, connection and use, to `the details of which disclosure the invention is not of course to be limited, since what isclaimed as new and what is desired to be secured by Letters Patent is set forth in the appended claims.

1. The automobile buffer front comprising a pair of vertically aligned vertically displaced laterally extending buffer front members 'formed of wide thin tempered steel strip and each having at each end integral rearwardly extending diagonally folded portions formingthe lateral ends of the buffer front and clamping devices secured to both of said vertically displaced members adjacent the buffer ends and adapted to connect them to buffer supporting members.

2. The automobile buffer front comprising a pair of vertically dis laced laterally extendm buffer front mem ers formed of Wide stee strip and each having at each end integral rearwardly extending angularly folded portions forming the lateral ends of the buffer front and clampin devices secured to both of said vertica ly displaced members.

3. TheV automobile buffer front comprising a plurality of vertically aligned vertically displaced front buffer members formed of wide steel strip and each., having integral rearwardly extending diagonally folded portions Ladjacent the lateral ends of the buffer front and located substantially entirely betweenthe vertical edges of the member. y, 4. The automobile bu er front comprising a plurality of front buffer 'members formed of wide steel; strip and 'each having integral vrearwardly extending angularly folded portlons adjacent the lateral ends -of the buffer front and located substantially entirel between the transverse edges of the en of the connected strip member.

5. The automobile buffer front comprising a air of connected vertically displaced lateraly extending buffer front members formed of wide steel strip having oppositely bent cent-ral portions -to form a vertically widened contact face and each' havin at each end integral rearwardl exten ing angularly folded ortions ormin'g the lateral ends of the ufer front. y

6. The automobile buffer front comprisrs formed 0 ing connected vertically displeacedlaterally extending buffer front mem Wide steel strip and each having at each end integral angularly folded portions forming the lateral ends of 'the butler front.

7. The automobile buer front comprising a pair of vertically aligned vertically separated laterally extending butter trent members termed of Wide thin steel strip and each having adjacent each of the louder ends a diagonally folded rearwardly extending portion without direct connection with the adjacent folded end portion of the vertically separated member.

8. The automobile butler front comprising a pair of vertically separated laterally extending buer front members formed of Wide thin steel strip and each having adjacent each of the butl'er ends a diagonally folded portion Without direct connection with the adjacent folded end portion ot' the vertically separated member.

9. The automobile butler front comprising a plurality of vertically separated laterally extending buti'er front members formed ot wide thin steel stri and each having adjacent one of the bu er ends an angularly folded rearwardly extending portion Without direct connection with the adjacent folded end portion of the vertically separated member.

10. rl'he automobile butler front comprising a plurality of vertically separated laterally extending buiier front members formed ot' steel strip and each having adjacent one of the rbutter ends an angularly folded pori' tion without direct connection with the adjacent Jfolded end portion of the vertically separated member.

11. The' laterally extending automobile butler front member formed of Wide steel strip and having at each end integral rearwardly extending angularly folded port-ions adjacent the lateral ends 0i' the buti'er front. 12. The laterally extending automobile butter trout member formed of Wide steel strip and having at each end integral rearwardly extending angularly folded portions.

13. rlhe automobile buffer front member formed of Wide thin tempered steel strip and having integral rearwardly extending diagonally folded portions at the lateral ends of the buer front.

11i. The automobile butier front member formed of Wide steel strip and having integral angularly folded portions.

15. rlhe automobile buffer front formed of relatively Wide steel strip and comprising connected vertically displaced vertically aligned laterally extending members and integral rearwardly arranged end folds arranged at a substantial angle to each other at the lateral end of the buer `front.

16. The automobile butler front formed Lacasse ol? relatively Wide strip and comprising connected vertically displaced laterally extending members and rearwardly arranged end folds arranged at a substantial angle to each other adjacent the lateral end of the butler iront.

1'?. The automobile buder front element formed of relatively Wide steel strip and having connected transversely displaced transversely aligned laterally extending members and integral rearwardly arranged end folds arranged at a substantial angle to each other at the lateral end of the buffer front element.

18. The automobile buffer front element formed ot' relatively Wide steel strip and having connected transversely displaced members and integral Jfolds arranged at a substantial angle to each other at the end of the butter front element.

19. The laterally extending .buffer front element formed of relatively wide steel strip and having connected horizontally eX- tending transversely separated members and having at each end integral rearwardly extending end folds arranged at a substantial angle to each other.

20. The b-uer element formed of relatively Wide strip and having connected transversely separated members and having adjacent one end integral obliouely extending folds arranged at a substantial angle to each other.

21. The buffer front element Jformed of relatively Wide steel strip and having connected transversely separated members and having at each end obliquely extending integral folds.

22. rl`he butler iront element formed of relatively Wide strip and having connected transversely separated members and having at one end integral rearwardly extending oblique folds.

23. The buier element formed ont' relatively Wide steel strip and having connected transversely separated members and having integral obliquely extending end folds.

2li- The laterally extending automobile bilder iront member formed of relatively Wide steel strip and having integral obliquely extending folds at one end.

25. rlihe automobile buder front member formed of relatively Wide steel strip and having integral folds at one end arranged substantially at right angles to each other.

26. The automobile butter member formed ot' relatively `Wide strip and having integral rearwardly extending folds adjacent one end arranged at substantially right angles to each other.

GEORGE LYN. 

